Veteran salutes jobs program

Former Army infantryman from Albany says he has prospects for the future

Published 10:15 pm, Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Photo: Skip Dickstein

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Iraq war veteran Jajmere Williams 24, of Albany speaks during a press conference in Albany, N.Y. March 21, 2012 about receiving job interviews as a result of Governor Cuomo's "Youth Works Program" that has been designed to create jobs for at-risk youth in the State. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

Iraq war veteran Jajmere Williams 24, of Albany speaks during a press conference in Albany, N.Y. March 21, 2012 about receiving job interviews as a result of Governor Cuomo's "Youth Works Program" that has ... more

Photo: Skip Dickstein

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Alphonso David, Deputy Secretary for Citvil Rights speaks during a press conference in Albany, N.Y. March 21, 2012 about Governor Cuomo's "Youth Works Program" that has been designed to create jobs for at-risk youth in the State. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

Alphonso David, Deputy Secretary for Citvil Rights speaks during a press conference in Albany, N.Y. March 21, 2012 about Governor Cuomo's "Youth Works Program" that has been designed to create jobs for at-risk ... more

Photo: Skip Dickstein

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Mylan Denerstein, Counsel to the Governor speaks during a press conference in Albany, N.Y. March 21, 2012 about Governor Cuomo's "Youth Works Program" that has been designed to create jobs for at-risk youth in the State. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

Mylan Denerstein, Counsel to the Governor speaks during a press conference in Albany, N.Y. March 21, 2012 about Governor Cuomo's "Youth Works Program" that has been designed to create jobs for at-risk youth in ... more

Photo: Skip Dickstein

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Iraq war veteran Jajmere Williams 24, of Albany speaks during a press conference in Albany, N.Y. March 21, 2012 about receiving job interviews as a result of Governor Cuomo's "Youth Works Program" that has been designed to create jobs for at-risk youth in the State. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

Iraq war veteran Jajmere Williams 24, of Albany speaks during a press conference in Albany, N.Y. March 21, 2012 about receiving job interviews as a result of Governor Cuomo's "Youth Works Program" that has ... more

Photo: Skip Dickstein

Image 5 of 6

Alphonso David, Deputy Secretary for Citvil Rights speaks during a press conference in Albany, N.Y. March 21, 2012 about Governor Cuomo's "Youth Works Program" that has been designed to create jobs for at-risk youth in the State. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

Alphonso David, Deputy Secretary for Citvil Rights speaks during a press conference in Albany, N.Y. March 21, 2012 about Governor Cuomo's "Youth Works Program" that has been designed to create jobs for at-risk ... more

Photo: Skip Dickstein

Image 6 of 6

Mylan Denerstein, Counsel to the Governor speaks during a press conference in Albany, N.Y. March 21, 2012 about Governor Cuomo's "Youth Works Program" that has been designed to create jobs for at-risk youth in the State. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union) less

Mylan Denerstein, Counsel to the Governor speaks during a press conference in Albany, N.Y. March 21, 2012 about Governor Cuomo's "Youth Works Program" that has been designed to create jobs for at-risk youth in ... more

Photo: Skip Dickstein

Veteran salutes jobs program

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ALBANY — Jajmere Williams graduated from Albany High School in 2006 before going into the Army, where he served as an infantryman in Germany and Iraq. But when he left service a year ago, Williams spent months trying to track down a decent job to no avail.

"It's hectic," said the 24-year-old. "There are times when you think no one's trying to help you."

A few weeks ago, Williams was invited to sign up for the four-month-old New York Youth Works program, and found himself with "several — not one, several" job interviews.

On Wednesday, he went from one of those meetings to the state Capitol.

At a news conference, Williams told his story as officials trumpeted the fact that 120 businesses around the state had created more than 2,900 full- or part-time jobs in targeted urban areas. And they announced new initiatives, including public service announcements provided by Cablevision and Time Warner, designed to get out the word to potential employers and jobless young people.

"The program benefits both at-risk youth and business. ... It's a win-win for all of us," said Mylan Denerstein, counsel to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who pushed for the program as part of the legislative package that reworked the state tax code in December.

More Information

For more information about the New York Youth Works Program, visit http://www.jobs.ny.gov/youthworks or visit one of the region's "One-Stop Career Centers":

Career Center, 175 Central Avenue, Albany

Schenectady Job Training Agency, 797 Broadway, Schenectady

For a full list of regional career centers, visit http://labor.ny.gov/workforcenypartners/osview.asp, or call the state Department of Labor at (877) 226-5724.

"Nothing would do more to help our communities ... than a J-O-B," said Assemblyman Keith Wright, the Harlem Democrat who chairs the chamber's Labor Committee. He contrasted the idle young people he has seen on the streets of his neighborhood as well as "the Harlems throughout the state" with the energy he witnessed at a recent job fair where he extolled the benefits of the program.

The Youth Works program draws on up to $25 million in tax credits. Businesses that hire an inner-city youth to work for at least six months can earn up to $3,000, and as much as $1,000 more if the employee remains on the payroll for an additional six months.

Both applicants and employers have to be certified to take part in the program. Applications must be submitted by June 1 for employers and July 1 for job-seekers. Participants must be 16 to 24 years old — an age group with an average unemployment rate of roughly 40 percent statewide — and live in one of a dozen urban areas: Albany, Schenectady, Brookhaven, Buffalo, Hempstead, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica and Yonkers.

The New York Penn baseball league's five teams have filled a total of 133 jobs through the program, including 30 with the Tri-City Valley Cats, according to Cuomo's office. The list of heavily participating companies includes such recognizable names as Wegmans Food Markets (271 jobs) and Dinosaur Restaurants (160).

While Troy is not currently included in the program, officials hoped to expand it in the future. Denerstein hopes to see as many as 10,000 young people taking part.

Williams plans to attend Hudson Valley Community College later this year to study business and marketing. He remains unemployed — but probably not for long.

"I have businesses competing for me right now; I have companies competing for me to work for them," Williams said. "That feels great."